Monday, 10 November 2014

Postcards from Dubai Mall, United Arab Emirates

Inspired by Americans who love superlatives, I am grateful for a visit to the Dubai Mall (迪拜购物中心) of UAE - the world's largest shopping mall (based on total area).

Dubai Mall was developed by Emaar Properties, that also own Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world as of today).

Visiting Dubai Mall on almost on her sixth anniversary (it first opened on 20081104) was a blessing for me. I always love birthdays, not only of mine but also of others. Birthday = a reason to celebrate the miracles of being alive and continuous growth.

We drove from Abu Dhabi to Dubai on a morning of sand storm. We could not see very far, but I managed to catch a glimpse of Burj Al Arab from far far away. Our petite beautiful driver was hungry, so we stopped at a gas station with a McDonald.

Although I grew up as a child in Jakarta, where malls are ubiquitous, I had also called Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK my home. In a town like Cambridge, malls (not to mention malls with inspiring design) are not common, though I appreciate the convenience of shopping in small supermarkets and shops.

Dubai Mall has more than 1,200 stores. We had a lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, which I had heard about while living in La Jolla, California but had not have a chance to visit until today. I ordered (1) fresh kale salad and (2) portabella mushroom avocado and zucchini fries. i also sampled (3) beets with goat cheese comprises fresh beets, apples, baby arugula & pecans, (4) burger (5) salmon (6) chicken. Consequently, I had no more space left for the dessert. I will be back for trying the cheesecake!

The Dubai Mall implements courtesy policy: shoulders and knees should be covered, no kissing or overt display of affection in the mall, no smoking in the mall, no dangerous activities (e.g. sport games, rollerblading, skateboarding), no pets are allowed in the mall.

My impromptu tour guide once worked in the construction of a nearby hotel. He told me that when things were challenging, they de-stressed by gazing the fish swimming in a carefree manner, without worrying about the burden of life and work.

In Dubai Ice Rink in Dubai Mall, imagine the romance of ice-skating as described by the ballet-loving and warm-hearted Veronica Weston of the Sadler Wells by Lorna Hills. Remember to bring a pair of socks.

Appreciate candies and chocolates in the 2010 world's largest sweet shop "Candylicious" spanning over 10,000 sq ft (930 m2) inside Dubai Mall. I bought a Belgian dark chocolate for our driver simply because the cover girls remind me on her. Thank you for driving us safely! I also bought a 70%-cacao Mucha-covered chocolate by Chocolate Amatller for myself.

Imagine yourself as an Alibaba being surrounded with the glitters in Dubai Mall's Gold Souk. Caveats: (1) unlike Alibaba, you must pay the price before taking any gold out of the souk (2) "All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring.

At The Emirates Official Store in Dubai Mall, be a captain of the Emirates A380 - the world's largest aircraft. A 30-minute session of simulator flight costs AED 350. I am also grateful for my past experience of flying A380 with Singapore Airlines and Qantas, and look forward to flying A380 with Emirates.

Experience the Dubai Fountain - the world's largest dancing fountain, designed by California-based WET, the creators of the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas. I recommend the daily evening shows every 30 minutes from 6:00pm to 11:00pm.

Meet and Pose with the DubaiDino, the original skeleton of a long-necked, whip-tailed vegetarian sauropod (Amphicoelias brontodiplodocus member of the family Diplodocidae) that is over 155 million years old, and of 80 ft (24.4 metres) long and 25 ft (7.6 metre) high. When it was alive, it weighted as heavy as five elephants. The dinosaur could have died during drought in a natural trap - Dana Quarry, Wyoming, USA. I love to imagine arriving at a world we have heard of only in stories such as Jurrasic Park.

Pose with the Dubai Mall Waterfall, designed by Singapore-based DP Architects. This is my favorite artwork.

Visit Kinokuniya bookstore and forget the time.

A mango lemonade with some Spanish and Belgium chocolate appear to be ideal companions for a happy reading session."Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is." ~ The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.

Do shopping and window-shopping.

Mickey Mouse with its iconic ears always bring back the happy memory in Disneyland Paris.

Since I could remember, I have loved stories, and Pinocchio was among the first few stories that I read. I appreciate how Jiminy Cricket reminded Pinocchio (and us), "remember always let your conscience be your guide."

Once, I dreamed of becoming a fashion designer and a fashion model. Everything starts with a dream. I have created handmade dresses for my (only) Barbie girl. Though I am not a professional model, I have done some catwalks in Vancouver and Singapore, to promote the causes that I believe in. Thank you for the opportunities to do so! "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." I always admire beauty, as I do for truth and kindness. I think ... I am highly sensitive to beauty, especially of people and nature that I grow loving more than ever. Beautiful things make me happy.

The design of postcards sold in the Souk Al Bahar (Market of the Sailor) reminds us to "keep calm we still have oil." In 2013, petroleum engineering is the most lucrative college major. Will the situation be still the same several years and decades down the road? I am concerned for our children and grandchildren. I believe in the importance of research and development for alternative renewable energies, because eventually the non-renewable fossil fuels are going to be used up.

This is the first Spinneys market that I visited in Dubai. It is situated in the Souk Al Bahar (Market of the Sailor).

What's next?
♥ visit Abu Dhabi Yas Mall, the second largest mall in UAE after Dubai Mall. Like Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld, Yas Mall is situated on the Yas Island.
♥ I am grateful to be able to view the world's tallest building hitherto. I also look forward to appreciating the next world's tallest building. I imagine that the future world's tallest building will reach the outer space (perhaps anchored by a satellite for stability) and ordinary people like me, can fulfill our dreams to visit the outer space.
♥ re-visiting postcards from our other #travelxp always evokes special feelings of contentment and excitement.